Sometime in the early 1980's, a member of the Bexhill Model Railway Club started to attend meetings of the Gauge 'O' Group at Pett Village Hall. Here he was offered an 'O' gauge layout as the owner was downsizing and his flat was too small for the layout. The offer was accepted and the layout then erected in the garage of the then Chairman.A small group of club members showed an interest in experimenting with a gauge new to them all and met on a regular basis to develop the layout. After 18 months or so, it was realised that this layout was not really practicable as a portable layout after taking it to a couple of exhibitions so it was sold and a start was made on a new layout - Haynes Lane. After constructing a double slip and a 3-way point from Peco components it was decided that the group had sufficient skill to tackle the new scale with confidence and the construction of a 'Colonel Stevens' type Light Railway was started as a Fiddle yard Terminus layout on 4, 4ft x 2ft boards. After a short time it was decided to increase the operational interest by adding a second Fiddle yard and another 4ft scenic board with a working level crossing and a country cottage on it. It is assumed that the railway between Pevensey and Roberstbridge (deposited plans for which may be studied in County Hall in Lewes) was built and that Haynes Lane was a station somewhere near Ashburnham and that an alternative route into the gypsum mines at Mountfield had been made from just north of Haynes Lane.After 20 years the layout is still being developed and improved and still gives much pleasure to the growing group.

Why Haynes Lane?Ted Haynes was an inspirational founder member of the group with only 20% vision in one eye and none in the other, he still produced superb models but passed away soon after the project was started.

Haynes Lane is available for Exhibition's and other Railway events, contact us for more information.